Beauty Within'
by tsforhokies
Summary: Damon is a self fish and arrogant man who looks down on others. He is full of himself and only judges a persons worth by how good looking they are. Bonnie is a woman who's face has been partly disfigured by an accident but has beauty on the inside. In a cruel bet Damon is challenged to make her fall for him to win some money. But he'll learn where true beauty is. All human
1. Prolouge

Dan Weatherspoon sat in one of the rooms of the lavious house that Damon Salvatore had owned and lived in for many years he brought it with the tons of many that he had made from his career. The house rested in the hills of Holly wood California where many rich and famous actors and actresses and other entertainers lived. Dan had looked for to this interview for months being a writer for a magazine many in his company wanted to do this interview but he was the one who got it.

Damon Salvatore wasn't a famous actors , he was a composer of music who had for decades been one of the most requested and acclaimed in his business. His music had been used in well over a dozen of movies and he had won several Oscars because of that. He also had sold out many concerts and sold tons of albums so he was a well made off man.

Dan sat in a room filled with old style furniture that it looked like it took years to collect. He waited for the owner of the home to come in and soon Damon Salvatore did. His appearance had changed since his younger years, his once black hair turned to grey and he had some wrinkles however his eyes still held the same icy blue intensity that he had when he was younger. Dan got to his feet to shake the music composers hand.

"Thank you Mr. Salvatore for inviting me into your home for this interview." Dan said

Damon shook the mans head back. "You're welcome I'm always willing to do an interview for my adoring fans."

Dan sat back down in his chair. "This interview could take a couple of hours if you don't mind."

"I have plenty of time." Damon nicely said "Do you want anything before we start water, coffee?"

"No I'm fine for now." Dan answered

Damon clapped his hands together. "Alright then let's get started."

Dan clicked his tape recorder on and started the interview by asking the common questions about Damon and his career and Damon had no problems answering them all giving Dan great questions.

It was about a half hour into the interview when Dan came up on the next question that he wanted to asked.

"You're not only a great composer of music." Dan was saying "But your fans love you also because of what you do giving back to the community."

"Yes." Damon commented

Behind Dan there was a painting hanging up on the wall. It was one of a beautiful landscape, of a river surrounded by green lush grass and a mountain in the background and blue sky. Dan wondered who painted it because it was a very well done painting. He returned his attention to Damon.

"As I said you give back to the community, do things to help the homeless and the hungry." Dan went on "As well as giving to several charities why do you feel the need to give so much?"

Damon shifted in his chair. "Because I have the means to give to those who are less well of then me and I want to do everything that I can to help them. I don't like the idea of humans starving , suffering or being homeless so I use what I can to help."

Dan checked his tape recorder to make sure that it was still recording before he went on. "You've been giving for many decades since your career took off. You seem like such a kind and caring man."

"I wasn't always so kind and caring." Damon told the writer.

"Really what do you mean by that?" Dan wanted to know.

Damon ran a hand through his grey hair he was sixty nine years old now and the age was getting to him. "I was want you could call an asshole and douche bag not very nice at all."

"So what got you to change?" Dan asked

"More like who." Damon corrected.

"Alright then who got you to change?" Dan asked

His mind flashed back to her face that he had seen all of those decades ago and the many memories of the time that he spent with her came rushing back to him. "She was a wonderful women who had a great affect on my life, she came into my life and really had a beautfil sprit to her and a wonderful heart."

"Sounds like you were in love with her this woman." Dan commented

"I was." Damon said with a smile.

Dan pushed the tape recorder closer. "Mind telling me about her?"

Damon cleared his throat. "I tell you because the world should know about people like her…I'll tell you the story of Bonnie Bennett and how she changed me.

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**So should I go on with this story are you interested in seeing where it goes? Let me know since I have other stories going whether or not I go on with this will depend on reviews! Thanks for reading.**


	2. The Bet

Dan listened closely and the elder Damon began to tell the story of when he was younger decades before.

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Mystic Falls, Virginia

Twenty one year old Damon Salvatore stood in front of the mirror admiring himself and his handsome good looks. He had kissable lips, black silky hair, intense icy blue eyes and chiseled featured and he also had a great body under the clothes that he wore. Women would often take a look at him and go weak in the knees because he looked so good. Damon loved that he loved the fact that he was so attractive that some women fell at his feet just for a chance to be with him and he took advantage of that by bedding many women.

Damon thought that he was so lucky to be blessed with such looks and he had a big ego as a result of it. Only the most beautiful women got to sleep with him or date him. He had often told some that they weren't good enough for him because he had high standards. Every time he got close to a mirror he had to stop and look at himself because he looked damn good. Now he had just gotten dressed prepared to go out and he was checking himself out to make sure that everything looked fine on him.

Stefan his younger brother entered the room. "Is there a day that doesn't go by where you don't stare at yourself in the mirror like that?"

"Morning to you to Stefan." Damon said with sarcasm.

Stefan was handsome in his own right but was way more humble and not nearly as cocky as his brother was. "You spend more time in front of a mirror than a woman."

Damon smirked at his reflection. "You can never look at perfection for too long."

"Here we go again." Stefan said with a roll of his eyes.

"Have a problem with my confidence brother?" Damon asked

Stefan arched a brow. "There's a difference between confidence and arroganace."

"If I'm arrogant it's only because I have the right to be." Damon went on. "Women throw themselves at me every where I go."

"Well I'm sure that you will always be more in love with yourself than any woman can be in love with you." Stefan joked

Damon ran a hand over this chin. "Ha, Ha very funny."

Stefan loved his brother dearly but didn't agree with how Damon acted sometime.

"Don't be mad because I admit that I think that I look good." Damon said "Good looking people are the ones that get ahead in the world."

"Looks aren't everything Damon." Stefan told him.

Damon turned to face his brother. "You know who says that ugly people, no offense."

Stefan's brow furrowed. "Can you consider that many people out there are drawn to a person's attitude and personality before looks."

Damon raised both brows. "Come on you really expect me to believe that shit?"

"It's the truth." Stefan said "Put it this way you can have a house that looks all nice with fresh paint on the inside, but when you get on the inside and see that the house is filled wall to wall with trash and junk and everything is broken than that has is pretty worthless."

"Did you just call me worthless?" Damon asked

"Not really. I'm just saying." Stefan commented.

Damon smirked again. "Don't be jealous Stefan."

Stefan shook his head. "I'm not jealous Damon just saying that you might what to change how you judge a person."

"But why the way that I judge them now is perfectly fine." Damon gloated "Because I'm so much better than the majority of people out there."

Stefan brought a hand to his face. "No wonder you're going out with Katherine Pierce you're both full of yourselves."

"Ah yes Katherine one of the few women who's worthy to date me." Damon said

"I'm serious Damon." Stefan said

Damon sighed. "I don't need any of your lectures brother so save them."

Stefan looked at him. "What's on the outside of a person doesn't matter, what's on the inside does and I hope that you learn that one of these days."

"Whatever." Damon walked away from the mirror. "I have to go now "

Stefan watched him leave with a shake of his head and a roll of his eyes.

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Half way across town nineteen year old Bonnie Bennett set in the kitchen and watched as Mrs. Forbes made her breakfast. Bonnie was a kind, caring, free spirited girl who spent everyday cherishing life. But to some it might be hard for them to believe that she was that way if they learned about what she had gone through. The last few years of her young life had been filled with pain and heartbreak.

Five and a half years ago she had gotten into a terrible accident, a accident that had come close to ending her life. Thanks to the hard work of doctors her life was saved but the accident had also left her face disfigured. While one side of her face could be considered normal the other side the right had was disfigured because of the injuries that she had received to it during the accident. Doctors tried their best to fix her but there was only so much that they could do for her. Now she had multiple scars on the right side of her face. Scars that she would have for the rest of her life.

At first it had been hard for Bonnie to cope with what happened to her. During the first months after the accident she had struggled with what the accident did to her face and that she would never look like her old self again. She had been ashamed and embarrassed to show her face in public afraid that people would judge her or see her as ugly. But with the help of her Grams and her support of her friends she learned to accept what happened to her and go on with her life. She was able to go out in public again. People often stared sometimes it would irritate and bother her and other times she ignored it. But she refused to hide her face and decided that she was going to live the rest of her life to the fullest. Her Grams had told her to never let anyone make her think that she wasn't beautiful or was ugly and Bonnie took that advice.

Sadly her Grams had passed away three years ago due to natural causes. Bonnie was deeply saddened and heart broken by her death, but she had her friends there to help her through her grief. Then there was Mrs. Forbes her best friend Caroline's mother who had taken Bonnie in and took care of her since Bonnie had no where to go after her Grams died. Mrs. Forbes had taken her in with no questions and had treated Bonnie as if she were her own child. Bonnie had been living with Mrs. Forbes and Caroline for the last two and a half years and now saw Mrs. Forbes as a mother figure.

Mrs. Forbes came over to the table and put down a plate of toast and eggs in front of Bonnie. "Here you go."

Bonnie smiled. "Thanks Ma!" She said calling Mrs. Forbes the neck name that she had called her for the last two and a half years.

"You're welcome sweet heart." Mrs. Forbes said "Could I get you anything else?"

"This is enough." Bonnie said

Mrs. Forbes wiped her hand on a towel. "Have any plans for the day miss busy body."

Bonnie nodded her head. "Yeah I think that I have something's that I want to do today."

"Good." Mrs. Forbes looked at her watch. "I have to get ready to go out, I have several meetings that will take up most of the day, but I'll be back this evening in time for dinner."

"Okay see you later Ma." Bonnie said

Mrs. Forbes placed the towel down on the counter. "Have a nice day, see you this evening."

Mrs. Forbes left the room and Bonnie picked up her fork and began eating. A couple of minutes later Caroline Forbes came into the kitchen.

Caroline Forbes had been Bonnie's best friend since child hood and one of the main people that had supported Bonnie during and after the accident. When she was in the hospital Caroline was there everyday by her bed side and when she had a hard time with what happened Caroline was there to help her cope and Caroline like her other friends had watched out for her and was very protective of Bonnie after the accident. If Caroline had caught anyone making fun of her friends disfigured face then that person ended up regretting it once Caroline got through with them. She verbally and sometimes physically cut down anyone who bashed her friend and Bonnie was grateful to have such a great friend in Caroline.

"Good morning Bon." Caroline said going over to the fridge.

Bonnie looked up from her plate. "Good morning Care."

Caroline got out the bottle of orange juice and went to get a glass. "Do you have to work today?"

Bonnie had a job part time at a pet shop because she loved animals. "No I don't have to go into work until next week."

"That's cool." Caroline poured herself some orange juice. "I'm off today too." Caroline worked at the Mystic Grill.

"Good for you." Bonnie said nicely.

"Thank God that I'm off today because my boss gets on my nerves sometimes." Caroline said "One minute she's like do this and the next do that and I'm like woman I'm just one person with two hands just give me the damn time to get the job done."

Bonnie chuckled "You're something else."

Caroline drunk some of her orange juice. "Doesn't your boss get on your nerves."

"Actually my boss is pretty cool and even if he wasn't I wouldn't try to stress over it." Bonnie said

Caroline smiled. "Of course you wouldn't."

Just then Matt Caroline's boyfriend for the last four years had walked into the room. Because he had been Caroline's boyfriend he and Bonnie became good friends and she would see him many times in one week because he dated Caroline.

"Hope that you didn't mind that I let myself in." Matt told them.

Caroline turned her attention to him. "You know that you're welcome here anytime!"

Matt approached Caroline and give her a kiss on the lips. "I do know that babe."

Caroline blushed as she often did when Matt kissed her. "Thanks for coming over Mattie, I'll be ready to go in a minute."

Matt walked over to Bonnie giving her a quick friendly hug. "Hi there Bonnie."

"Hey Matt." Bonnie said hugging him back.

Matt stepped back and looked at Bonnie. "How are you doing this morning?"

"Just fine." Bonnie answered. "You two are going out."

Caroline finished up her orange juice. "Matt and I are going out to the mall today."

"Yeah and with how Caroline is we'll probably be there for like eight hours in a row." Matt joked

Bonnie laughed.

"Oh be quiet Matt." Caroline said playfully "There's nothing wrong with a girl who loves to shop."

Matt grinned looking at Bonnie. "You can come with us if you'd like to Bonnie."

"He's right and then we can both drive him crazy with our shopping and make him carry our bags and stuff." Caroline added

Bonnie shook her head. "No the two of you should just go."

"Are you sure?" Caroline questioned.

"Yes I don't want to be the third wheel." Bonnie said

Matt waved a hand "Bonnie we never see you as the third wheel. It's fun having you go out with us."

Caroline agreed. "Having you along is awesome Bon."

Bonnie looked between the both of them. "That's okay I have some things that I'm planning to do today myself and I'm going out for the day. So it's alright for just the two of you to go to the mall together."

"Okay well I see you whenever you get back." Caroline said

"Later Bonnie." Matt said with a nod of his head.

"Later guys." Bonnie told them.

Caroline and Matt left and Bonnie finished up her breakfast before getting in the shower prepared to go out for the day.

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Damon had made his way over to Katherine Pierce's house. Girlfriend might not be the right term to call Katherine in relation to Damon, fuck buddy might be more accurate. Because that's what a lot of their relationship involved fucking like rabbits every time they met above anything else and they both liked it that way. This time was no different as Damon had just gotten through with having hot sex with Katherine.

Katherine was a woman that he considered on his level with her looks which is what attracted him to her from the start. She had a pretty face, with brown eyes and long brunette hair and a curvy body and shared the same views as him which is why they got along so long. They had sex a lot and this time was no different.

Damon laid in Katherine's bed with a content grin.

"You are such a master in bed." Katherine told him nearly breathless.

"I know." Damon smugly said

The room was silent for a little while.

Katherine yawned. "I'm bored."

"Hey." Damon said

"Oh I'm not bored because of you." Katherine stated "It's just that other things have me bored."

Damon propped himself up on his elbows. "How can you be bored you've inherited millions of dollars."

Katherine looked at her nails. "It's true I'm rich and have the money to do anything but I'm going for something different to entertain me."

"What's different?" Damon asked

"Something challenging." Katherine looked at him. "What if I paid you to do something for me?"

Damon shrugged a shoulder. "That depends on what it is."

Katherine thought about it. "What if I paid you to trick a woman into falling for you and then you leave for high and dry."

"So you want me to fool a woman into falling for me and then break her heart for fun?" Damon wanted to know.

"You catch on quick." Katherine said

"Why would I do that?" Damon asked

"Because it's fun and challenging." Katherine said "Think about it you get to play a woman, maybe even get laid a few times and get paid to do it."

Damon smirked. "When you put it that way…"

"So are you up to it?" Katherine asked

"Who would this woman be?" Damon asked

"I would get to pick." Katherine said

Damon arched a brow. "Fine I can get any girl to fall for me with my looks."

Katherine tapped her chin. "Hmmm I pick Bonnie Bennett."

"Who the fuck is that?" Damon wanted to know.

Katherine gestured. "You know the girl who fucked up face."

Damon's eyes widened. "You mean the one with the disfigured face that I saw around town a couple of times."

"Exactly her." Katherine said

"Really Kat you want me to get her to fall for me?" Damon said like it was beneath him. "You could at least pick a woman that looks decent."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "That's where the fun is a good looking guy like you getting a girl that looks like that to fall for you, just to crush her heart and make her look like a fool."

Damon ran a hand through his black hair. "What's her name….Bonnie she might actually look decent if half of her face didn't look like it got put in a meet grinder."

Katherine laughed. "So are you up to the challenge?"

"How much would you pay me?" Damon asked

"I'll pay you but only if you can get Bonnie Bennett to fall for you." Katherine answered

Damon rubbed his cheek. "You really think that I can get her to believe that a beautiful person like me could fall for someone like her?"

"I do." Katherine said "I'll play you ten thousand dollars if you can do it."

"With money like that, you're on!" Damon exclaimed.

Katherine got out of the bed and retrieved her cell phone and put it on video.

"Now I'm going to record you just for insurance so that you don't back out." Katherine said

Damon sat up in bed. "Oh good grief."

Katherine pointed the phone at him and pushed record. "Say that you accepted my bet Damon."

"Fine." Damon smirked right at the camera in the phone. "I accept Katherine Pierce's bet, for ten thousand dollars I'll trick Bonnie 'two-faced' Bennett into falling in love with me and believing that I'm in love with her and once I have I'll reveal that a good looking guy like me could never truly love someone who looks like her and I'll get paid, happy now?"

Katherine clicked off the camera on her cell phone. "Got it."

Damon let out a breath. 'This should be fun."

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**Thank you to all who reviewed this story. Just to let you know Elena will most likely not be in this story since Katherine is and I'm going for a all human, AU story here. Again thanks for reading and reviewing. Keep those reviews coming!**


	3. The First Meeting

After spending the rest of the morning and some of the afternoon at the library reading some book and researching things that interested her Bonnie went to the local café. A place that was the popular hang out spot besides the Mystic Grill in Mystic Falls. She went there to get some lunch because she was hungry. She took a seat at the counter as the place was busy as it often was at the lunch hour.

Jeremy Gilbert a close friend of hers came over and placed a BLT with some fries in front of her.

"Here's your lunch Bon-Bon." Jeremy said

Jeremy much like Caroline had been there for her after her accident having her to get through and cope with what happened. He was like a brother to her.

Bonnie slide the plate closer to her. "Thanks Jer."

"You're welcome Bon-Bon so how are you today?" Jeremy asked

They hadn't seen each other in a week.

"It's been relaxing." Bonnie answered. "What about you, you look like you're working hard as usual."

"I am but I this is a fun place to work at." Jeremy told her. "Saving up for that new car."

Bonnie placed a French fry in her mouth. "I'm sure that you are. How is Anna by the way?"

Anna was Jeremy's girlfriend. Jeremy smiled "She's doing alright, she asked me to say hello you the next time that I saw you."

"Oh, then tell Anna that I said hi right back at her." Bonnie said

Jeremy nodded his head. "I will. You seem hungry that's a pretty big sandwich that you ordered."

Bonnie eyed her sandwich. "I am very hungry even though I had breakfast this morning."

"Are you still doing a lot of art work?" Jeremy asked

Bonnie looked at her friend. "Yes I'm still doing a lot of art work."

"You're going to be the next Picasso." Jeremy exclaimed.

Bonnie laughed. "The next Picasso? Don't you think that you're going too far in that compression?"

"Maybe not the next Picasso exactly but you are very good at drawing and painting." Jeremy pointed out.

Bonnie sipped on her coke. "I guess."

Jeremy arched a brow. "You guess, you're very good Bon-Bon and I'm sure that other people would agree with me if they saw your work."

"You think so?" Bonnie asked

Jeremy gestured. "I know so people would love your work."

Bonnie shook her head. "You're just saying that to be nice."

"I'm saying it because it's true." Jeremy told her. "Have you ever considered becoming a professional?"

"As in sell my art?" Bonnie asked

"That's what I mean." Jeremy confirmed.

Bonnie sighed. "I don't know I mostly do art for hobby. Who's to even say that people would buy my work anyway?"

"Trust me lots of people who love art would spend money on your work." Jeremy said "You should consider it."

Bonnie pursed her lips together. "Who knows maybe I will."

"Hey if you decide to go professional as an artist you can make money and do it while doing something that you love." Jeremy pointed out.

"Since you put it that way I'll take it into serious consideration." Bonnie said

"Good." Jeremy said

Bonnie noticed at the corner of her eyes two teenage boys starting at her. She knew that it was because of her disfigured face. At least one person gave her that type of look when she went out in public. As if she didn't belong out or as if something was wrong with her. No matter how often it happened she would never completely get used to it. The two teenage boys kept staring to the point that it was starting to make her feel uncomfortable.

Jeremy noticed this and much like Caroline didn't like anyone messing with or bothering Bonnie.

"What the hell are you two looking at?" Jeremy snapped at the two teenage boys. "Mind your business and turn around and eat your damn food."

The two boys looked away under Jeremy's glare as if ashamed that they had been caught staring. They went back to eating their food looking at their plates.

"Sorry about that." Jeremy told Bonnie. "Some people can be such jerks."

Bonnie nodded her head. "Yeah thanks for standing up for me I appreciate."

"No problem you know that we always have your back." Jeremy said

"I know." Bonnie said "I have wonderful friends."

Jeremy went to serve other customers and Bonnie began to eat her food. She got out a medium sized note pad and a pencil and started to draw as she had her lunch.

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Damon had entered the café expecting to get some lunch. He came her a lot because the place had great food. What he didn't expect was to see her, the woman with the disfigured face. The one that he had made a bet that he could make her fall for him and then break her heart. Bonnie Bennett sat at the counter eating a sandwich and she was drawing something on a piece of paper. He saw the scars that marked half of her face and inwardly cringed being the vein all about looks person that he was.

This was his opening to get he ball rolling on the bet. Knowing this he put on his nice guy act and approached the counter glad to see that a seat was empty beside her.

"Do you mind if I take this seat?" Damon asked her.

Bonnie heard the sound of a male voice asking her this question but didn't look up. "No go ahead."

Damon took the seat next to her. "Thanks."

"You're very welcome." Bonnie said

Damon waited for her to look at him but she kept writing on her note pad.

Jeremy came over. "What can I get for you sir?"

"The usual." Damon answered. "Bacon Cheeseburger, Onion rings and a Coke to drink."

Jeremy wrote this information down. "That will be right up." He went to fill in Damon's order.

Bonnie finally looked up and turned to see who had sat beside her. Her breath was taken away as her eyes landed on the incredibly handsome beyond good looking man. He had a chiseled face, kissable lips, black hair as almost black as mid night but what got her most was his eyes. They were a light blue and the bluest that she had ever seen and very intense. She was pretty sure that there weren't many men who looked better that walked the earth at least to her.

Realizing that she was staring Bonnie diverted her eyes because her Grams told her that staring wasn't a polite thing to do even when it was a "positive" stare/

Damon could tell by have she had looked at him that she had found him attractive and saw his opening.

"Hi." Damon told her.

Bonnie blushed slightly, "Hi."

"Busy in here." Damon said keeping his tone friendly and nice.

Bonnie looked around. "It is as it's always in here at lunch hour."

"Beautiful day outside." Damon said to make conversation.

"I agree." Bonnie said

"This place has the best food." Damon told her.

Bonnie agreed. "It does."

Damon kept his eyes on her. "Are you from around here?"

Bonnie worked on her drawing some more. "As a matter of fact I am. I was born and raised in Mystic Falls."

"Interesting." Damon commented. "I've spent most of my life here as well."

"You have?" Bonnie asked

Damon nodded his head. "Moved here when I was five with my parents and brother and lived here ever since." He told her which was what happened.

Bonnie glanced at him. "Odd for such a small town I don't think that I've seen you around here."

"Maybe you have but you just don't remember." Damon suggested.

"No I'm sure that I would remember a face like yours." Bonnie told him.

Damon wanted to smirk at the compliment but he kept the nice guy look on his face.

"I think that I have seen you around town." Damon told her.

Bonnie arched a brow. "You have?"

"Yeah." Damon said "By the way I'm Damon Salvatore."

"Bonnie Bennett." Bonnie told him.

Jeremy came serving Damon his food.

"Bonnie huh?" Damon said

"That's my name." Bonnie said eating a couple more fries. She paused. "Salvatore that last name sounds familiar to me."

Damon cleared his throat. "Really?"

"Really. I feel like I have heard that name some where before." Bonnie said

"Must be the small town." Damon said

"Must be." Bonnie said

Damon brought his attention to the piece of paper that Bonnie was working on and saw that she wasn't writing as he had thought but drawing. It was a good very well done drawing one of the best that he had ever seen. The drawing seemed alive like it wanted to jump out off of the paper at him and Damon was very impressed.

Damon cocked his head to the side. "You draw?"

"Draw and paint yes." Bonnie let him know.

"So then you're an artist?" Damon asked

Bonnie shrugged a shoulder. "I guess you could say that."

"Well you're a very talented drawer Bonnie." Damon said and meant it even if he was suppose to be playing her.

"Thanks Damon." Bonnie said

There conversation lasted a little longer before Bonnie finished off her lunch, paid the bill, and put her note pad away.

"I have to go now." Bonnie let him know.

"Okay talk for talking to me during my lunch." Damon told her.

"You're welcome." Bonnie said

Damon watched as she stood up. "Hopefully I will see you around."

"Maybe you will." Bonnie said "Later Damon."

"Bye Bonnie." Damon said and watched as she left the café.

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Katherine Pierce was back at her house when her phone rang. She picked it up and saw that it was Damon calling so she answered it.

"Hello Damon." Katherine tried a sexy voice.

"Guess what happened today Kat." Damon started

"What?" Katherine wanted to know.

"I went to the café today and I saw Bonnie Bennett there." Damon said

Katherine was very interested. "You mean Bonnie 'two faced' Bennett.?"

"Who else would I mean?" Damon asked as if the question was silly.

"Tell me what happened." Katherine said

Damon shifted his phone to his other ear. "I talked to her."

"Did she talk back?" Katherine asked

"Of course he did." Damon answered

Katherine flipped her hair behind her ear. "How was she?"

"Seemed like a nice girl." Damon said "Or whatever."

"Then it should be easier for you to fool her." Katherine told him.

"Getting Bonnie Bennett to fall for me is going to be a piece of cake and then I'll break the harsh truth to her." Damon's voice was cocky. "Then you'll owe me a ton of money."

"As long as you get the job done I'll pay you." Katherine said

"Believe me I will." Damon told her.

"Okay Damon I guess I will see you tonight." Katherine said suggestively.

"Believe me I'll be there." Damon said

Katherine ended the phone call with Damon a evil smile crossed her place. The plan had been set in motion to hurt and humiliate Bonnie Bennett. What Katherine hadn't told Damon was that she and Bonnie had been going to the same schools since elementary on up. Her and Bonnie were never friends. Bonnie would hang out with Caroline Forbes and Jeremy Gilbert all through the school years.

In middle school Katherine started to become full of herself and her looks and she took notice of how others looked comparing herself to other girls. She noticed that as each school year passed into the next that Bonnie Bennett would became more and more prettier the closer that she got to puberty. Guys started to notice to as they got closer to that age in which boys thought about sex and noticed how good girls looked, they noticed Bonnie with her Mocha skin and her mossy green eyes.

Katherine didn't like any attention being taken away from her. She wanted all of the guys to be on her. So she grew jealous of Bonnie Bennett just because Bonnie had been so pretty and Katherine couldn't stand it so she had a hatred for Bonnie even though Bonnie never did or said anything against her. When Bonnie had gotten into that accident and her face was messed up the boys no longer flocked to her and that was something that made Katherine feel better about herself.

Now she had a chance to inflict pain and heartbreak on Bonnie Bennett just because she wanted to. Katherine was going to enjoy the humiliation on Bonnie's face once Damon revealed the truth. When he told her that he would never fall for someone who looked like her. Katherine was playing a game and Damon Salvatore was simply her pawn.


	4. Rescuing Her

**Thanks for your reviews, they're very appreciated!**

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Bonnie was making her way to work walking on the sidewalks to get to the pet store that she worked at. It was just a fifth teen minute walk from where she lived and Bonnie loved that the job was so close by and liked walking there on most days. But on this day she wished that she had chosen to drive instead. Because it was currently raining heavily. She was wrapped in her rain coat with the hood pulled over her head wondering why she had made the decision to walk although it had been raining lightly when she left the house. Puddles of rain formed on the side walk wetting her shoes a little. She held the hood over her head to make sure that it didn't slip off but some rain still managed to wet her face. It was too late at this point to go back and get her car and drive it would make her late for work. By the time that she was going to get to work Bonnie was afraid that she was going to be soak and wet.

She heard a car pull up next to her and ignored it at first focusing on making it through the rain and getting to work.

""Looks like you could use some help there." Came a familiar male voice.

Bonnie turned to look and saw that it was the man she had seen in the Café Damon Salvatore. He had the passengers window rolled down and was creeping along slowly in the timing of her walk.

"Hey." Bonnie said

Damon gave her a single nod of her head. "Hey are you okay."

Bonnie kept walking. "I'm fine."

"Really? Looks like you're about to drown in all of this rain." Damon sounded amused.

"I'll be alright." Bonnie said

"Why don't I give you a ride to where you are going?" Damon asked

Bonnie shook her head. "I don't have far to go."

"I still could give you a ride." Damon insisted

Bonnie stopped walking and fully faced him in his car. "I don't ride with strangers."

Damon's brow furrowed. "Not exactly strangers we've met before."

"Just once." Bonnie reminded him.

"True but I assure you that I'm a nice guy." Damon told her.

Bonnie felt the rain drops pelt her rain coat. "I can make it to where I'm going."

Damon looked at her through the passengers window. "And get soaked in the process?"

Bonnie said nothing.

"Come on." Damon gestured. "I won't bite I promise."

Bonnie hesitated she looked around her the rain didn't seem to be letting up and she didn't want to look like a ruined wet person at her job.

"What the hell." Bonnie decided she opened the passengers side door and climbed into the car shutting the door.

"See there you go." Damon said

"It's Damon right?" Bonnie asked

Damon nodded his head. "Yes my name is Damon."

Bonnie looked over at him. "Why did you stop to pick me up?"

"Because it's what a gentlemen does." Damon told her.

"Okay." was all that Bonnie said

"I was coming from the other direction." Damon said honestly "I saw you struggling walking in the rain and made a u turn back at the light to come and get you."

Bonnie pulled her seat belt over her. "That was nice of you to go out of your way."

"No problem." Damon said "Where I'm going can wait. So where am I taking you to?"

"It's called Friendly's Pet Shop and it's around the corner a few blocks." Bonnie answered

Damon started to drive. "I know what you are talking about I'll get you right there."

"Thanks." Bonnie said

"So Bonnie why are you walking out in weather like this?" Damon asked.

Bonnie watched the windshield wipers move. "It wasn't this heavy when I left home but I guess that I should have driven."

Damon kept his eyes on the road. "Nature can be unpredictable that way with the weather and all."

"It can be." Bonnie agreed. "Sorry that I'm getting your seat all wet right now with my rain coat."

"It's not a big deal." Damon said "You like animals?"

Bonnie glanced over at him. "How do you know that?"

Damon shrugged a shoulder. "I would just think that people who work at a pet store would love to be around animals."

"Oh." Bonnie said "Yep I love all sorts of animals."

Damon stopped at a red light. "I don't know if I can say that I love all sorts of animals but I do love dogs."

"Do you?" Bonnie questioned.

"Yeah I had a dog when I was little me and my brother did." Damon let her know.

Bonnie shifted in her seat. "Girl or boy?"

The light turned green and Damon pulled ahead. "It was a boy."

"What breed?" Bonnie wanted to know.

"German Shepherd." Damon answered.

Bonnie smiled. "Great breed, loyal and strong."

Damon glanced briefly at her before returning his eyes to the road. "They are our dog lived a long time before he passed away."

"I'm glad that he did." Bonnie said

Damon pulled into the parking lot of the pet shop that Bonnie had worked at.

Damon put the car in park. "Is this the right place?"

"It is." Bonnie confirmed.

"Alright then well have a nice day at work." Damon said

Bonnie put her hand on the door handle and looked over her shoulder at him. "I could give you a few bucks for using gas to drive me here."

Damon shook his head. "Nope like I said no problem."

"Well Thanks again for the ride Damon." Bonnie told him.

"You're very welcome Bonnie." Damon said

Bonnie opened the passengers door. "Bye Damon."

Damon watched as she got out. "Good bye Bonnie."

Bonnie shut the door and stepped back and Damon drove off. She turned running to the entrance of the pet shop. Her boss Alaric opened the door to the shop and held it opened for her.

"Get in here." Alaric called out to her in a nice tone.

Bonnie stepped into the shop glad to be out of the rain. She shook some of the water off of her rain coast. She turned to face Alaric. Alaric was her boss and the owner of the pet shop because of her face not many places had been willing to give her a job. But when she interviewed with Alaric he hired her saying that all that mattered was if she was a hard worker who didn't mind working with and around animals and that was Bonnie.

Besides her and Alaric there was a handful of other employees that worked at the pet shop in shifts.

"It's raining like cats and dogs out there." Alaric said

Bonnie removed the hood from her head. "Tell me about it."

Alaric looked out into the parking lot through the glass door. "Who was that who dropped you off?"

"Some guy." Bonnie answered

"Some guy?" Alaric questioned.

Bonnie nodded her head. "His name is Damon Salvatore he saw me walking in the rain and he pulled over to drive me here."

"That was nice of him." Alaric said

"I know." Bonnie agreed

"There's some coffee in the back I just brewed a fresh pot." Alaric let her know.

Bonnie took off her rain coat. "Good because I'm going to need some coffee before my shift starts."

Alaric walked over to where the cash register was. "Might be a slow business day with how it's raining outside."

"Might be. What do I need to do?" Bonnie wanted to know.

Alaric looked around. "The cat food needs to be re stocked in aisle five and the puppies need their weekly bath. I fed all of the animals their breakfast already so you don't have to worry about that."

"Anything else?" Bonnie asked

"Once you bath the puppies and stock the cat food, I'll let you know what else you can do." Alaric answered

Bonnie walked towards the back. "I'll get right on those things right after I have my coffee!"

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It was a couple of days later and Bonnie was walking home from her shift. Thankfully today had been sunny and the perfect day to walk home. She worked at the pet shop until evening time and then got off. She was walking home listening to the music on her I pod. Two guys approached from the opposite direction. Bonnie went around them focusing on the music that she was listening to.

As she had passed them the two guys stopped in their tracks as Bonnie had caught their eye. They whispered something to each other and turned to walk step in step with Bonnie.

"Hi." One of them said to her.

Bonnie heard his slightly over the music. She told him Hi but kept walking.

The two men kept walking beside her and Bonnie started to feel uncomfortable.

"What are you listening to?" The other one asked

Bonnie didn't answer and quickened her paced.

"Woman he asked you a question." The first one said in a rude tone.

Bonnie just kept going hoping that they would take the hint and stop trying to get her attention.

Suddenly the other guy yanked her ear plugs out of her ear and grabbed her I-pod from her.

Bonnie stopped glaring at him. "Give that back." She said reaching for the object.

"Why don't you make me freak." The other guy teased holding the I-pod out of her reach.

"Give it back before I call the cops." Bonnie warned getting angry now.

"You're not going to do anything." The other guy told her.

The first guy got closer to her eyes scanning over her features. "Damn what happened to your face? You shouldn't be out in public looking like that."

The other guy laughed cruelly. "You might just scare off the kids with a face like that."

The two men's teasing and harsh words offended Bonnie and made the anger boil up inside of her.

"You're a freak." The first guy told her.

"Yeah a monster." The other guy said

Bonnie's fists balled at her sides. "The both of you are jerks."

They just laughed in response.

Bonnie was determined to stand up for herself. "I'm not a freak, or a monster the both of you are."

They stopped laughing.

"What did you say?" The first guy asked.

"You heard me." Bonnie lifted her chin. "You both are awful human beings on the inside."

The other guy grabbed her arm. "Don't talk to us like that."

Bonnie cringed. "Get your damn hands off of me."

The first guy grabbed her other arm. "You don't tell us what to do."

"Leave me alone." Bonnie pleaded trying to get out of their grasps.

The two men looked at each other and words were exchanged they both gave Bonnie a hard shove. Which caused her to land in a puddle of dirt and mud left over from the heavy rains the other day. The two busted out into roaring laughter as they looked down at her trying to get up from the puddle of mud.

Bonnie felt her jeans getting soaked and water and mud as well as the bottom half of her shirt. Her eyes welled up with tears of hurt and humiliation.

"What do you have to say now bitch?" The first guy said while kicking some of the mud on her face.

The other guy loomed over her in a threatening manner like he wanted to do something to hurt her. "Yeah what are you going to do now?"

Out of no where the first guy felt someone grabbed him by the back of the collar and yank him back so forcefully that he almost tripped and fell over back wards.

"What the…" The other guy turned to see who had done that to his friend and saw an upset and outraged looking Damon Salvatore standing there.

"Get away from her." Damon boomed at the both of them.

"Mind your own business man." The other guy said irritated.

Damon glared at him. "I don't think so when I see the both of you doing this to her."

The first guy rolled his eyes. "Yeah what's it to you anyway?"

"I know her….sort of." Damon answered.

"Who cares walk away and acted like you never saw this." The other guy told Damon.

Damon shook his head. "Not going to do that."

"Do it before we make you do it." The first guy warned.

They both stepped up to Damon at the same time. With a blink of an eye Damon punched the first guy hard in his face sending him stumbling back. He grabbed the other guy and took his arm twisting it painfully behind his back.

The other guy grimaced in pain. "Watch it man you're going to break my arm."

"If you don't leave this woman be I'll do worse than that." Damon said tone serious.

The first guy held his throbbing face. "We were just playing around let him go."

"Get out of here before I beat you both so badly that you'll end up in a hospital." Damon warned.

The other guy nodded his head frantically. "Alright, Alright."

Damon released his arm and the two men ran off. He turned to see Bonnie still sitting in the puddle of water and mud. She had a look on her face like she was surprised that someone actually intervened. Her clothes were wet and caked in mud.

Damon kneeled down next to her. "Those two are assholes." He said to her. Sure it might have sounded hypocritical with the bet that he had but even someone like Damon didn't like to see people get assaulted or beaten up. When he saw the men push her to the ground he couldn't just walk away and leave her to their mercy. That's why he had come over and interfered.

Bonnie said nothing but gave him a watery smile. Looking at him through tear filled eyes like he was now the greatest man to walk the face of the earth. Her expression showed appreciation for what he just did.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked her.

"I will be." Bonnie said

"Sorry that they did that to you." Damon told her.

Bonnie wiped the mud from her face with the back of her hand. "It happens all of the time not getting pushed in the mud but….." She trailed off like she couldn't finish the sentence.

Seeing that look in her eyes part of him inside felt something like sympathy for her which was saying something because he rarely felt sorry for anyone. But he tried to ignore it because he had a bet to win.

Damon helped her to her feet. "Anything else I can do to help?"

Bonnie looked at him. "Can you drive me home please?"

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Damon pulled up into the drive way of the house that she lived at minutes later. Caroline and Mrs. Forbes had been sitting on the porch but when Bonnie got out of Damon's car clothes dirty in mud they both got up and rushed over to her.

"Good grief Bonnie what happened to you?" Caroline asked eyes scanning over her clothes.

"A couple of jerks happened." Bonnie answered.

Mrs. Forbes looked confused. "What does that mean?"

Damon stood behind Bonnie saying nothing.

Bonnie let out a long breath. "I ran into a couple of men they started to harass me and pushed me in the mud."

"They did what?" Mrs. Forbes asked upset.

Caroline wasn't happy to hear the news. "Where are those two bastards?"

"They're long gone." Bonnie let the women know.

Mrs. Forbes expression was one of concern as she eyed Bonnie. "Are you hurt?"

Bonnie shook her head. "I'm fine thanks to this guy." She gestured to where Damon stood.

Caroline's and Mrs. Forbes eyes shifted to Damon.

"He can by and stop those two jerks from harassing me. He interfered and stood up for me and scared them off." Bonnie said with appreciation in her voice.

Mrs. Forbes stepped up to him. "Thank you whoever you are."

"Damon my name is Damon Salvatore." He let her know.

Mrs. Forbes held out her hand. "Thank you Damon for coming her rescue."

"Yes Thanks for watching out for her." Caroline agreed.

Damon briefly shook Mrs. Forbes hand. "It was the right thing to do."

"Can we do something for you to show us our appreciation?" Mrs. Forbes asked him.

Caroline looked at him. "Anything that you need?"

"Not at all you don't have to do anything." Damon told them.

"But there must be something that we can do." Mrs. Forbes said

Damon said nothing.

Bonnie shifted on her feet. "I know."

Damon turned his eyes back to her.

"You have something in mind Bon?" Caroline asked.

Bonnie glanced at Damon. "Do you like to eat, I mean do you like food?"

Damon grinned "I love food."

"Than what about coming to the cook out party that we're holding this weekend?" Bonnie asked.

"That's right." Mrs. Forbes said "We are having some people over and just cooking out on the grill, you could come over and get free food it's the least that we good do."

"Uh.." Damon rubbed his chin.

Bonnie looked at him. "Just a small gesture. You don't have to come if you don't want I was just offering."

Damon thought about it. "I'll be here."

"Good then I'll see you Damon." Bonnie said

"The party starts at three." Mrs. Forbes let him know.

Damon nodded his head. "Alright."

Caroline wrapped her arms around her friend. "Come on Bon let's go inside where you can change and clean up. Hopefully we can get the clothes in the wash before the stain sets."

"Okay Care." Bonnie commented she gave Damon one last grateful look before disappearing into the house with her friend.

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"Wait so two men were pushing her in the mud and you stepped in and played hero?" Katherine asked later.

"Pretty much." Damon answered.

Katherine was shocked to learn of Damon's actions he didn't seem like the man to do something like that. "But why?"

"Why not?" Damon asked

"You stepped into hams way for a woman you barely even know?" Katherine asked.

Damon eyed Katherine. "I took care of those guys."

Katherine furrowed her brows. "But what if they had a gun or a knife?"

"They didn't." Damon said "Besides I couldn't just walk away and let them keep assaulting her."

"I thought that you didn't care about most people." Katherine said

"I don't." Damon said "I just didn't want them to beat her up or something. Even Bonnie Bennett doesn't deserve that."

A thought came to Katherine's mind "Did you pay them to attack her so that you could come in and play hero?"

Damon frowned. "Hell no." He answered honestly. "I may have agreed with you on this bet but come on Kat I'm not _that _low of a person."

Katherine held up her hands. "Just asking."

"The bonus of saving Bennett from getting beat up today I earned some brownie points even if it wasn't intentional." Damon said

"Meaning." Katherine asked

Damon smirked "Meaning that Bonnie Bennett is grateful to me and she invited me over to a cook out to offer her appreciation. That can be an opportunity to get closer to her."

Katherine gave him a sly grin. "This is going to be interesting."

"Yes." Damon said "Yes it is."


	5. Let's Have A Cook Out

**Present Day. Hollywood, California **

It was slightly over an hour into the elder Damon Salvatore's story when a short break was taken. Dan had went to the bathroom and washed his hands and Damon went to brew some coffee. Dan was glad that he brought a few extra tapes along for his tape recorder because he could tell that this was going to be a long story. But he didn't mind he was interested in learning more about Damon and his past relationship with this Bonnie Bennett.

He sat back down in his chair as Damon came back into the room with two mugs of coffee. He handed one of them to Dan.

"Black just like you ask for." Damon said.

Dan took the mug. "Thank you."

Damon walked around and sat back down at his desk. He took a few sips of his own coffee before placing the mug on the desk. "Ready for me to continue?"

"I am." Dan said after a sip of his coffee.

Damon waited until Dan pushed play on this tape recorder. "To pick up where I left off I had been invited to the barbeque after I had saved Bonnie from those jerks."

Dan put down his own mug of coffee. "So you saw this as your opportunity to get her to fell for you."

"I didn't think that she was going to fall for me on the day of the cook out or anything." Damon went on. "But I did see this as the start of getting closer to her."

"Because she would see you as her hero and you were going to take advantage of that?" Dan questioned.

"Yes to get in her good graces." Damon pressed his lips together. "It's not something that I'm proud of when I look back on it. Even back then I started to feel bad on the inside for what I was doing with the bet and all."

Dan nodded his head. "Of course. When did your views start to change on her?"

"Sooner than you might expect." Damon answered.

Dan keep listening.

"I went to that barbeque with the full intention of getting the inside track on winning that bet." Damon sighed. "But going to there on that day was the start of my views and feelings changing I didn't expect what to happen, to happen but it did and it was all because of her…."

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**Past. Mystic Falls, Virginia**

Damon checked his appearance in the mirror making sure that everything was in place. He needed to look good going to this cook out party for the sake of trying to woo over Bonnie and well because it was always important for him to look good. Damon winked at himself in the mirror before turning on his heels grabbing his car keys.

Damon headed towards the front door. It caught Stefan's attention as he was sitting on the couch.

"Where are you going this time brother?" Stefan asked

Damon rolled his eyes. "Out."

"Going to go over and see Katherine again?" Stefan questioned.

"Actually I'm not going to see Katherine not that what I do is any of your business." Damon told him.

Stefan leaned back on the couch. "Really then where are you headed to and before you say none of your business it's just a question."

Damon bent down and tied his shoes. "I'm going to a cook out."

Stefan arched both eye brows. "A cook out really?"

"Yeah and I'm about to get some free food." Damon nearly gloated.

"How come I wasn't invited?" Stefan fake pouted.

Damon smirked. "Because I'm better than you brother."

"Ha, Ha." Stefan said sarcastically "Seriously what is the deal."

Damon stood upright. "I was invited as a sign of gratefulness."

Stefan furrowed his brows. "Gratefulness for what?"

"I rescued this girl for getting assaulted." Damon let him know.

"Sure you did." Stefan said

"I'm telling the truth." Damon commented

Stefan could see that he was indeed speaking the truth. "You saved a female from getting assaulted?"

"That's what I said." Damon told him.

Now Stefan was very curious. "What happened?"

Damon looked at Stefan. "I walked up on a couple of guys harassing and assaulting a woman. I didn't like what I was seeing so I put a stop to it."

"Since when were you going to tell me this?" Stefan questioned

"I guess it didn't cross my mind." Damon said

Stefan studied his older brother. "Good for you, for once you didn't manage to think of yourself how rare is that."

Damon scoffed. "Really Stefan I do a good deed and you're giving me a back handed compliment."

"I'm just a little surprised that's all." Stefan said "But for real it was good that you stepped in."

"Now I'm about to go and seek the benefits of that award." Damon said

"So what's her name, this female that you saved?" Stefan asked

"Her name is Bonnie Bennett." Damon answered

Recognition entered onto Stefan's features. "Wait Bonnie Bennett." He repeated the name.

Damon noticed his brother's reaction. "Yes. Do you know her or something?"

Stefan shook his head. "I did _know _her know her but I know of her."

Damon was surprised back this. "How do you know if her?"

"She and I were in the same grade." Stefan answered.

"Were you now?" Damon was taken aback by this news.

Stefan got to his feet facing Damon. "We were. She was in some of the same classes that I had in middle school and some in high school. Then she was out of school for months because she got into that terrible accident."

That's why Bonnie had said that the last name Salvatore sounded familiar because Stefan was in some of her classes but he guessed that she didn't connect the dots or remember who Stefan was.

"Wow." Was all that Damon said

"That accident disfigured her face, I never saw her around school as much after that." Stefan explained.

Damon cleared his throat. "I noticed….her face."

"That girl has had a tough life." Stefan commented.

"She has." Damon mumbled just going along with his brother.

Suddenly a thought came to Stefan's mind and he narrowed his eyes at his brother.

Damon arched a brow. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You wouldn't be up to anything would you?" Stefan asked sounding suspicious.

"Whatever do you mean?" Damon asked tone bored.

"With Bonnie Bennett and you going over there for the cook out." Stefan hinted.

"Why do you think that I would be up to something?" Damon questioned

Stefan folded his arms over his chest. "She doesn't seem like the type that you hang out with."

Damon batted his eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"You know damn well what I mean. It's your own saying that you only hang out with good looking people." Stefan pointed out.

"My Stefan are you calling Bonnie Bennett unattractive? That's so not like you." Damon mocked.

Stefan stepped up. "No I'm not saying that she's unattractive you know that I'm all above personality above anything else. There's nothing wrong with Bonnie. However from how you usually see things and looking at it from your point of view you usually have a high standard for looks and people you hang around. So all I'm doing is wondering why you are so eager to get to this cook out."

Damon played innocent. "Chill out everything is cool."

"It better be." Stefan warmed

"I'm just accepting an offer for an invite after I saved her ass, that's all that it is." Damon said it sounded more defensive than he meant it to.

"I hope that you're telling the truth because even though I do know her like a friend I know that Bonnie Bennett is a sweet and wonderful girl. She's a great person." Stefan said "Don't go and play games with her."

Damon pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Another lecture Saint Stefan."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "I just how you could be. As long as your intentions are good I'll drop the subject."

"Geez Thanks." Damon said with sarcasm.

"Mind bringing me back some food?" Stefan added hopefully.

Damon smirked. "No way I'm not bringing you back anything."

Stefan playfully punched Damon in the shoulder. "Fine then be that way."

Damon chuckled and left his house.

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Damon made his way over to Bonnie's house knowing that he had to seize every chance he got to make her fall for him so that he could win the bet with Katherine.

He pulled up next to the drive way that had a few cars parked in it. He parked his car and turned off the engine getting out and walking up to the front door. He knocked. A minute later Bonnie opened the door.

"Hey Bonnie." Damon told her.

Bonnie smiled. "Damon, hi come on in."

"Okay." Damon said

Bonnie stepped to the side allowing him to walk in.

Damon entered the house and looked around.

Bonnie shut the door. "It was nice of you to come."

"Thanks for inviting me." Damon told her.

"It was the least that I could do after what you did for me." Bonnie said

Damon put his hands in his pockets standing there.

Bonnie gestured. "Mostly everyone's in the back yard. Follow me and I'll show you the way."

Damon followed Bonnie. He could smell the aroma's of food cooking. He followed her into the kitchen were the women he recalled as Mrs. Forbes and another man he didn't know was in the kitchen.

"He's here Ma." Bonnie told Mrs. Forbes.

Mrs. Forbes turned from the stove. "Hello Damon we're glad that you are here."

"I'm glad that you invited me." Damon said with a nod of his head.

Bonnie turned to Damon. "Damon this is Alaric he's my boss at the pet shop, Alaric this is Damon."

Alaric lifted a hand acknowledging Damon. "Hello Damon."

"Hey Alaric." Damon said in return.

"You just take Damon right out back." Mrs. Forbes said

Alaric nodded in agreement. "Right we'll be out in a minute."

"That's exactly what I was about to do." Bonnie looked back at Damon. "Come on."

Damon followed Bonnie out into the back yard. It wasn't big but it wasn't small either. There were only a handful of people there from what he could see and he could smell the scent of grilling meat. There were a few tables set up and a table with food and plates and cups on it. Damon just waited for instruction.

"Looks like you got here right in time the food is ready and everyone's eating." Bonnie said eying the table were her friends were digging into food.

"Perfect timing." Damon joked.

Bonnie chuckled. "Come on let's fix ourselves a plate."

Damon followed her over to the table and grabbed a plastic plate after she did. His eyes scanned over the large amount of delicious looking food on the table.

"Wow what a spread." Damon commented.

Bonnie started to put some food onto her plate. "We always manage to fix enough food for an army."

"I can see that." Damon said

After piling his plate with food Damon grabbed a drink. Bonnie held her plate in one hand and a can of soda in the other. She cocked her head towards the table were her friends were sitting.

"You can come and sit with us if you like." Bonnie told him. "Unless you're shy."

Damon's lips curved. "I'm not shy at all."

"Great." Bonnie said and headed towards the table.

Damon followed her and all eyes turned to him as he approached.

Bonnie put her plate and drink down on the table and cleared her throat. "Guys this is the man that I told you about Damon Salvatore."

They all kept their eyes on him as Bonnie introduced him to them going around the table.

"Damon you've met Caroline before." Bonnie said

"Hey there Damon." Caroline greeted.

Damon waved . "Caroline."

"Next to her is Matt her boyfriend." Bonnie continued

"Hi Matt." Damon said

Matt nodded his head. "Hi."

Bonnie gestured. "I think you've already seen Jeremy before he works at the Café."

"Yes I have seen him before." Damon reached across the table to shake Jeremy's hand.

Jeremy returned the handshake. "Hey man."

"And last but not least this is Anna." Bonnie let him know.

"Anna." Damon repeated.

Anna's eyes scanned over Damon. "So you're Bonnie's hero."

Damon shook his head. "I'm no hero."

"Of course you are." Caroline said

"Bonnie told us about how you stepped in and rescued her from those two assholes." Matt added

Anna looked at him. "We are thankful that Bonnie had someone looking at for her."

"Right." Jeremy agreed. "Some people just walk away and ignore things like that but you stepped in and we really appreciate that."

Damon knew that they would be grateful to him but actually hearing these praise thrown at him he didn't quite know how to handle it. He knew that they wouldn't be as grateful if they knew that he had entered into a bet to hurt Bonnie.

"You're all welcome." Was Damon's response.

Bonnie sat down at the table and patted the chair next to her. "Sit down Damon and let's eat."

Damon took the chair next to Bonnie and did just that.

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After they ate their meal Bonnie joined Caroline and Elena in the kitchen to gather something for dessert for everyone.

"Damon seems like a nice guy." Anna commented.

"He does." Bonnie agreed.

Caroline got some cartons of ice cream out of the fridge. "Plus he's very hot like sex on legs."

Bonnie laughed. "Caroline!"

"What? Don't act like you didn't notice Bon." Caroline said

"I do notice that." Bonnie said "But you have a boyfriend."

Caroline pushed her hair out of her face. "Doesn't mean that I can't appreciate other attractive men."

"Care's right." Anna said "That man is very good looking."

Bonnie went over to the cup cakes that she had baked. "Okay so he's hot, attractive and very good looking. I'll admit to that."

Caroline leaned towards Bonnie. "Who knows we may have just met your future man."

"Yeah what if Damon becomes your boyfriend.?" Anna added.

Bonnie scoffed. "Good grief guys don't tell me that you're trying to play hook up."

"Sweetheart that is what friends do they try to hook their friend up with a hot guy." Anna said

"Damon is just here because I invited him to show how grateful I was to what he did for me. That's all." Bonnie said

Caroline winked. "What turns to gratefulness, turns to friendship, and turns to something else."

"Who says that Damon and I are even going to be friends?" Bonnie asked.

"You could become friends with him." Anna pointed out.

Bonnie arranged the cup cakes on a big plate. "That is not guaranteed and besides it's not like I have men flocking to my side to date me."

Caroline lifted her chin. "Well screw any man who doesn't realize that you're beautiful inside and out."

"I agree. You're a gem Bon and any guy would be lucky to have you as his girl." Anna said

Bonnie smiled at both of her friends. "Thanks but I doubt that anything will happen between me and Damon."

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Once the food had settled down and was digested a little in everyone's stomach the group of friends decided to have some fun. Bonnie, Caroline, Anna, Matt, and Jeremy had decided to have a water gun fight guys vs. the girls. Mrs. Forbes said that she was too old to play and Alaric decided to sit out so that left the three girls against the two guys and Jeremy and Matt didn't really like it that way. They tried to talk Damon into joining their team.

"Nah I'll just watch." Damon answered at first.

"But we need another guy on our team." Jeremy said

Matt held his super soaker by his said. "Yeah man could you please play with us."

Jeremy looked at Damon. "It's three against two dude we need you."

"I'm okay." Damon said

"Just try it." Matt said "What could be more fun then getting females soak and wet."

"Yeah what could be more fun?" Jeremy agreed.

Damon looked back and forth between the three girls who each had big water guns and Matt and Jeremy who were pleading with him to join their team. Maybe they had a point.

"What the hell alright I'll join you." Damon told them.

Matt pumped his fist. "Yes."

Jeremy pointed. "There's an extra super soaker over there you can use that one. Fill it up with water and we will start."

Damon ran over and grabbed the super soaker that was laying on the ground. He filled it up to the brink and joined Matt and Jeremy's side. Bonnie, Caroline, and Anna were on the other side and before Damon could even blink the water gun fight had started. The three girls stood against the three guys each side starting to soak the other. Screams and laughter started to fill the air and everyone was really getting into and having a good time. Alaric and Mrs. Forbes were on the side lines watching in amusement.

They had to go back and fill their super soakers several times. Then everyone started to spilt up and it was Matt against Caroline, Jeremy against Anna, and suddenly Damon found himself one on one with Bonnie. He was really having a blast.

Damon shot her with a powerful stream of water drenching her even more. They both were soaked head to toe, with their hair dripping wet.

"Got you again." Damon said with glee.

"Damon!" Bonnie exclaimed.

Damon kept soaking her. "I'm the best water gun fighter in the world."

Bonnie ran away from him laughing and Damon gave chase. She ran in circles and zig zags and he kept chasing her until he started to run out of water. That was when Bonnie turned the tables on him soaking him with her water gun.

"Uh huh what you got to say now." Bonnie said as she drenched him more.

Damon tried to run away but he slipped on some wet grass falling down on the ground on his back.

Bonnie stood over him shooting him with more water. "I'll give you mercy if you say you give up."

"I never give up." Damon told her.

"Alright then." Bonnie didn't let up.

Damon tried to get up again but slipped in the wet grass landing on his butt this time and this made Bonnie laugh.

"Okay, Okay you win I give up." Damon exclaimed.

Bonnie squirted him one more time before stopping. "Now who's the best water gun fighter in the world."

Damon held up his hands getting to his knees. "You are."

"Damn right." Bonnie grinned.

Damon found himself grinning back and at that moment at least it didn't matter what her outside appearance was to him all that mattered was that he had fun.

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The sun was setting by the time Damon made his way to his car ready to go back home. He had a much better time then he expected to have. Just as he was about to unlock the door to his car he heard a pair of foot steps running behind him.

"Damon wait up." Bonnie called out after him.

Damon turned to face Bonnie. He saw that she had a bag in her hands that was filled with containers of food from the party.

"Yes?" Damon said in question.

Bonnie stopped next to him holding up the bag. "There was a ton of food left over from the party and we're having everyone take some home. I packed you some so that you could have some."

Damon took the bag from her. "Wow I appreciate it."

Bonnie smiled at him. "I don't believe that I ever properly thanked you myself."

"I'm sorry?" Damon said

"For interfering when those jerks were roughing me up Thank you." Bonnie told him.

"Oh it was no big deal." Damon said

"It was." Bonnie corrected. "Jeremy was right when he said that some people walk away and don't help. But you didn't."

Damon nodded his head. "Like I said it was the right thing to do."

Bonnie sighed. "I appreciate even more you know because a lot of people tend to try and avoid me."

Damon leaned against his car. "Why is that."

"I'm sure that you've noticed but my face." Bonnie explained with a gesture. "Some people see the scars and treat me like I have some kind of disease."

"That's not right." Damon said because he didn't know what else to say.

Bonnie shook her head. "That's how it is. Just because half of my face is like this they act like I'm less than human or some kind of monster or something and it really sucks to be treated that way."

Damon felt something on the inside that he rarely felt. Guilt and shame knowing the mean things he had said to Katherine about Bonnie's face He suddenly started to feel like an asshole on the inside for the things that he had said.

"But you seem different." Bonnie went on.

More guilt was felt here she was seeing him as some kind of good guy and a hero having no idea that he had come in on a bet. He briefly diverted his eyes.

Bonnie noticed his body language. "Are you okay?"

Damon looked back at her. "I'm fine."

Bonnie rubbed her arm and there was a minute of silence between them.

"Bonnie." Damon turned to her.

"Yes Damon?" Bonnie said.

Damon cleared his throat. "I'm going to ask you something a little personal."

Bonnie shifted on her feet. "Alright."

"If you don't mind me asking what happened?" Damon wanted to know.

"You mean how did I receive this scars to my face?" Bonnie questioned.

"Yeah but you only have to tell me if you want to." Damon added

Bonnie thought about it. "It was a drunk driver."

Damon ran a hand over his head. "A drunk driver crashed into your car?"

"Not really I wasn't even in a car." Bonnie answered.

Damon waited for her to go on.

"I was in the last place that one would expect to be hit by a car inside of a store." Bonnie started

Damon was shocked to hear this.

"I was in the store at a gas station planning to get a few snacks. When the drunk driver swerved off of the road, jumped the curb, and speed through the parking lot crashing through the stores glass front and into me." Bonnie explained. "He tried to hit the brakes but by that time it was too late. I was ran over at a high right of speed and dragged under the car for a few feet before he stopped. I don't remember the hit itself I blacked out during the impact but that is what happened from what the witnesses and police report say."

Damon frowned. "Sounds awful and what a terrible thing to have happen to you." He said sincerely

Bonnie flashed back to that time remembering what she was told. "I'm lucky to be alive that is what the doctors tell me. That accident almost took my life."

"But you lived." Damon pointed out.

"Yes I lived." Bonnie said "Underneath the cars engine was hot and when it dragged me under it got part of my face so that's what happened to me."

Damon couldn't help but feel bad for her having something so life altering in a negative way.

"What happened to the drunk driver?" Damon asked

Bonnie remembered. "He was arrested on the scene. Plead guilty and is currently serving time in prison for nearly killing me."

"When will people learn not to drink and drive?" Damon questioned.

"I don't know I wish that it would stop." Bonnie said

"At least they caught the one who did that to you." Damon said

Bonnie nodded her head. "I'm glad that he's serving time. When I last saw him he actually seemed truly sorry for what he did to me."

Damon eyed her. "Is that true."

"It's true. The drunk driver was remorseful and he apologized to me for running me over and it doesn't completely make up for everything that I went through during and after that accident but I appreciate him apologizing because some people aren't sorry at all." Bonnie said

Damon remained silent.

"That's why I told him that I forgave him." Bonnie confessed

Damon was taken aback. "You forgave the man who almost killed you?"

"Yes." Bonnie answered honestly. "I was angry at first, very angry but I found it in myself to forgive him."

Damon shook his head. "Don't know if I ever could forgive the person who almost killed me."

Bonnie let out a soft breath. "That's okay if you feel that way. Everyone reacts differently. But I after a while was just grateful to escape with my life and realized how fragile that it could be. I didn't want to go through the rest of my life holding a grudge and anger against that drunk driver so that's why I found it in myself to forgive him. I vowed to live my life carefree because it's really precious."

"Wow you're something else Bonnie." Damon said

Bonnie smiled at him in response.

Going home Damon admired and respected Bonnie Bennett more than he had many people he had met in his life time. What she had told him had left an impression on him and he realized that he might have been viewing things the wrong way, maybe it was time that he changed his outlook on life.

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**Hope that you don't mind the long chapter. Wanted to get everything in.**


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